Hendersonville Fire Department Announces Medium Rescue Certification
The Hendersonville Fire Department has been certified as a Medium Rescue Provider through the North Carolina Association of Rescue and Emergency Medical Services (NCAREMS). This designation certifies that the department is operating with the required number of personnel holding rescue certifications as well as operating with the complement of technical rescue equipment outlined by the NCAREMS.
“We continue to enhance our service delivery to the Citizens of Hendersonville and surrounding communities through a continuous improvement process,” said Hendersonville Fire Chief Joseph Vindigni. He explained the decision to pursue the Medium Rescue certification resulted directly from community input.
During the creation of the fire department’s strategic plan, a business and community feedback session was held in 2016. Community members were asked to rank what services were most important for their fire department to provide. Fire and EMS service ranked number one, but the category receiving the second highest number of votes were basic and technical rescue services.
“We want to be able to provide the services our citizens expect from us,” said Chief Vindigni. “We have been pursuing this certification because it is important to the community, and it allows our members to be better prepared to respond to a wider variety of emergencies.”
The Hendersonville Fire Department was congratulated by Stephen C. Smith, Membership Coordinator of NCAREMS for meeting the high professional standards required by this certification. Smith said, “Your department, personnel, and the citizens of Hendersonville and Henderson County should be very proud of this high achievement. It is indeed an honor to be recognized at this level of professional Rescue and EMS Service.”
The Hendersonville Fire Department has been actively working for more than a year toward this certification. Some of the requirements include having a minimum of eight personnel who hold rescue certifications in disciplines such as Emergency Response Training or Vehicle Machinery Rescue. In order to be certified, a department must also have an extensive list of equipment and tools such as hydraulic rescue tools, pulling equipment, harnesses, ropes, protective clothing, lighting equipment, ladders, water rescue equipment, Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) units, medical equipment and more.
Being certified as a Medium Rescue Provider ensures that personnel have the equipment and training necessary to provide for safe and effective victim management related to highway vehicle accidents, high and low angle rope rescue and water rescue.
“Being a Medium Rescue Provider allows us to be a more operative department when we collaborate with other agencies on technical rescue incidents,” said Chief Vindigni. He explained that our area is fortunate to have agencies such as the Henderson County Rescue Squad responding to calls involving swift water, confined space and trench rescues. By expanding HFD’s rescue capabilities, the department will be able to further supplement personnel during technical rescues occurring within the city limits, assist other departments through mutual aid agreements and work jointly to complete rescues when multiple calls happen simultaneously, as in the case when multiple areas within the county and the city flood following large rain events.
In the future, Chief Vindigni hopes to pursue the Heavy Rescue Provider certification which allows the capabilities to respond to more technical rescue incidents. On behalf of the fire department, he also recognized Captain Dustin Nicholson and Fire Engineer Paul Kaplan for their invaluable assistance in achieving this certification.
